Adolph wendt



A. WENDT. FLOATING MERRY-GO-RGUND.

APPLHZA'HON FILED MAR. 8, 1916.

1 1 93,994.. Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

BY 1%? ATTORNEY: m

TJFITTED @TATEfl PATENT @FFTQE.

ADOLPH WENDT, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

FLOATING MERRY-GO-ROUND.

Application filed March 8, 1916.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, AooLrrr WENDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Floating Merry-Go-Round, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to merry-gorounds, and the object is to provide an improved strong and convenient device of said kind, which will rotate upon water practically without noise or disturbance to the surface of the water. a

In the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the device with its roof structure omitted, and an adjoining pier shown. Fig. 2 is a section substantially on the line a o in Fig. 1 with some parts slightly changed or even omitted. Fig. 3 is a partly sectional top view of a portion of the float of the device. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the float.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 1 designates a portion of a lake or other body of water, near which is built upon the shore 2 a pier 3 having a railing a with a gate 5 to admit people to and from the device over a bridge 6, which is shown as foldable from the deck 7 of the merry-go round and upon the pier, but it may also be moilmted on the pier and folded toward the doc 8 designates a ticket office where tickets may be sold to those wishing to ride on the device.

The device proper consists of a circular float 9, preferably composed of several hollow radial sections 9 9 9, &c., which are secured together by having lugs 10 with bolts 11 therethrough, some of which are shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Cleats 11 may also be used for said purpose. The float and its deck may be built of galvanized sheet iron or wood, but when built of sheet iron the top is preferably lined with planks or boards made in radial sections 7, 7*, 7*, &c., which are removably held in place by cotter pins 12, inserted in the lugs 10 close above the floor sections (see Fig. 4E). The float is also provided with a guard railing 4". The inner ends of the float sections are provided with lugs 13, through which and through a bottom disk or plate 14: and a top plate 15 extend bolts 16, preferably screwed into the lower disk and having square heads upon the upper plate so they can be loosened and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Serial No. 82,996.

tightened from above. Secured upon the float is a frame 17, through which and through said plates is journaled a vertical shaft 18, which is slidably keyed by a key 20 in a comparatively large bevel gear 19, which is retained between the upper and lower arm of the frame 17. Attached to the lower end of the shaft 18 by a universal joint 21 is a cross bar 22 of a box 23 which is filled with rocks 24 and provided with bottom studs 25 adapted to take firm hold of the bottom of the water and prevent rotation of the shaft and drifting of the device.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a crank shaft 26 designates any kind of engine or motor or hand operated device for driving a shaft provided with a bevel pinion 27 which meshes with the bevel gear 19. When said pinion is rotated in either direction it will travel on the wheel 19 and thereby rotate the float in either direction without stirring up waves; and if the float is raised or lowered by being more or less loaded or by waves caused by wind or by passing motor boats, thewheel 19 will simply slide up or downward on the shaft.

The arrangement of parts upon the deck for the accommodation of the pleasure seekers may be so greatly varied thatI will not show or confine the same to any certain forms; I have therefore simply indicated that the deck may have posts 28 with acanvas roof 29 mounted thereon by suitable frame work 30. The device will also have seats 81 of any desired design and in any desired numbers.

In Fig. 2 is shown how a spider 32 may be secured stationary on the shaft 18 and have flags 33 or other decorative or ornamental objects supported by it and appearing curious by being non-rotatable upon a float rotating on the water. The spider 32 may also support an automatic musical instrument or a music band.

The bridge 6 when not in use may be held by a hook 8 1 at an incline against a post as shown in Fig. 2. 6 in Fig. 1 designates hand rail on said bridge.

The device may be made in any desired size from that of a toy and upward.

What I claim is 1. An amusement apparatus comprising a circular hollow float with seats upon it, a vertical shaft j ournaled centrally through the float and having at its lower end means for anchoring it to the bottom of the water,

'me'shing with said gearpand means carried on the floatfor rotating said pinion, means .fixed' on the vertical shaft some distance above the float for the support of things not desired to rotate with the float.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising avertical shaft journaled centrally through the float and having at its lower end means for anchoring it to the bottom of the water, a gear wheel slidably keyed on the shaft, means for retaining said wheel always at the same height relative to the float, a pinion meshing with said gear, and means carried on the float for rotating said pinion, said shaft and anchoring means being connected together by a universal joint.

An amusement apparatus comprising a circular hollow float with seats upon it, a vertical shaft journaled centrally through the float and having at its lower end means for anchoring it to the bottom of the water, a gear wheel slidably' keyed on the shaft, means for retaining said wheel always at the same height relative to the float, a pinion meshing with said gear and means carried on the float for rotating said pinion, said float being madein radial sections detach ablyfsecured together,

5. An amusement apparatus comprising i a circular hollow float with seats upon it,

a vertical shaft journaled centrally through the float and having at its lower end means for anchoring it to the bottom of the water,

' a gearwheel slidably keyed on the shaft,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for means for retaining said wheel always at the same height relative to the float, a pinion meshing with said gear, and means carried on the float for rotating said pinion, said float being made up of hollow radial sections secured together and a deck made in radial sections and detachably secured upon the float.

6. An amusement apparatus comprising a circular hollow float with seats upon it, a vertical shaft journaled centrally through the float and having at its lower end means for anchoring it to the bottom of the water, a gear wheel slidably keyed on the shaft, means for retaining said Wheel always at the same height relative to the float, a pinion meshing with said gear, and means carried on the float for rotating said pinion, said float having at one side a bridge hinged to the float and fold-able away from it so as to facilitate entering and leaving the apparatus, and a pier arranged on the land near the apparatus for the end of said bridge to rest on when it is lowered.

7 An amusement apparatus comprising a circular hollow float with seats upon it, a vertical shaft journaled centrally through the float and having at its lower end means for anchoring it to the bottom of the water, a gear wheel slidably keyed on the shaft, means for retaining said wheel always at the same height relative to the float, a pinion meshing with said gear, and means carried on the float for rotating said pinion, said float having upwardly extending posts and a canvas roof supported on said posts.

8. In a device of the class described, a circular float composed of radial hollow sections detachably secured together and having at their inner .ends lugs, circular central plates one above and one below said inner ends, and bolts extended through said lugs and plates, whereby, the plates are drawn tightly against the upper and lower sides of the inner ends of the float sections.

A In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

AD OLPI-I XVENDT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

